Drumm, Inc. | Tank Car Cleaning

Tank Car Cleaning

Fogger Washes

Our cleaning procedures vary depending on the commodity being hauled. In many cases, vessel interiors are steamed prior to the fogger wash to improve the removal of heavy residue and reduce water usage. Following this "cooking" process, the fogger wash is performed using water at temperatures in excess of 180 degrees and with a 3-D orbiting, dual-nozzle spinner. At times, this cleaning will be done in combination with steam and creates an incredible amount of "fog", hence the name "fogger wash". When necessary, a confined space entry is performed to manually remove heavy residue, or "heel". Once the heavy residue is removed, the lid, unloading valves, man-way rim, cap, gaskets, and other critical control points are cleaned. The tank may then be washed with a detergent, sanitized by completion of the rinse and air-dried. After final inspection, the dome, cap, lid and valves are secured and security seals place where required.

Heel Removal

When a tank car is emptied, there is generally a small amount of the commodity hauled, or "heel", left over on the car floor. The remaining commodity can be rather significant since general purpose cars typically have little, if any, slope to the drain or unloading tube area.
The size of the heel can vary and sometimes depends on the product that was carried. Product residues can vary in viscosity, melting point, crystallization, polymerization and impurity content. The heel size can also vary due to the amount of heat applied at unloading; the length of time the car was allowed to unload; and the length of service since the last cleaning.
It is common to have a remaining heel left in the tank car after the fogger wash. The amounts vary greatly and are removed manually. Recovered oils and fats are recycled to keep disposal costs low and reduce waste.

20,000 PSI Water Blasting

A high-pressure water blasting system is used to remove heavy-duty deposits. This enables us to avoid using chemicals to remove difficult product residues and produces significantly less waste water in most applications. Water Blasting also reduces manual labor time, which would normally involve picks, shovels, scrapers or jack-hammers that could damage tank cars.

Caustic Washing

A caustic wash is applied in cases of service upgrades and returns, or when interior walls have thickened from overuse. The caustic wash system uses a commercial alkaline wash and water solution containing 1-2% sodium hydroxide. The tank is then cleaned again using the fogger wash system to return the tank to bare metal condition. This system is extremely effective in removing baked on vegetable oil skins and other solidified residues.

Oiling

Most rail tank cars consist of carbon steel tank walls that can develop surface-rust when small amounts of moisture and oxygen are present. Case oiling tanks will passivate the interior and prevent rust from forming and altering flavor, color or other product characteristic in an undesirable way. The oils used must be compatible with the product that is scheduled for next service.

Kosher Washes

Drumm, Inc. specializes in upgrading rail tank cars to kosher status. A tank is certified kosher by first cleaning and sanitizing the car so it is acceptable to transport food grade products. The clean tank must then sit for 24 hours before initiating the kosher wash. The kosher wash consists of a 3-D, orbiting, high-pressure spinner, flushing a minimum of 210 degree water through the tank for 30 minutes.
Once a vessel is kosher, it remains so until a non-kosher product is placed inside. The vessel can also lose kosher status if security seals are found missing or broken, maintenance is performed inside the vessel or at openings or the vessel is washed by a facility that is not kosher certified.

Lining Reports and Inspections

Many tank cars hauling sensitive commodities have epoxy linings installed, which are generally more capitol friendly than owning or leasing a stainless steel tank car. The surface of epoxy linings are smoother than a carbon steel tank and can protect commodities from discoloration; reduce the transmission of impurities; protect the tank from corrosive products; and simplify unloading commodities.
Linings can chip, peel, bubble and burn. The commodity hauled, and your personal preference, dictate the amount of imperfections allowed in linings. The most common lining failures are caused by burns, which occur in the unloading process. We offer lining repairs when needed.